A new fundraiser has been launched to bring to life the idea of creating a Pride Shed for the local community.
Community sheds, like the popular Men’s Sheds, have proven to be an effective way of creating community connections, forming intergenerational friendships, improving mental health and building skills in arts and crafts.
The project is being brought to life and set up as a new not-for-profit organisation. Community worker Chuckie Raven, who many people would know through their work at The Freedom Centre, is the lead for the project.
The idea for the Pride Shed sprung out of an inter-generational session at the Freedom Centre where young LGBTIQA+ people met with people in the latter years.
“We had this session where all the young people were asking these people over 60, all these questions, and it was just this. It was this incredibly moving moment where we realized there’s this shared history that doesn’t often get shared.” Chuckie explained to OUTinPerth.
“Shortly after we had that event, I was talking to a young person, and we were chatting about how much money we spent on hobbies and how it’s hard, we invest too much money in it, and there’s nowhere that we can go to do it. I said, ‘I wish we just had somewhere we could go and use tools and and have access to all that knowledge.’
“And this young person goes, ‘Oh, you mean like a Men’s Shed’, the room sort of went quiet. We looked at each other and went, ‘Yeah, exactly like a Men’s Shed.’ So we took it from there.
After doing some research and community consultation the idea is being progressed with WAAC being the auspice organisation for the project.
The plans for a Pride Shed that will be a community workshop where members have access to the tools and supplies needed for whatever hobbies they want to try their hand at. It is envisaged that it will have a
woodwork shop, a metal workshop. Plus facilities for ceramics, jewellery making, sewing and even stained glass!
Community is at the core of the shed. The shed will open for sessions where members can swing by and work on their projects. Community will be facilitated by a cup of coffee and a chat mid-session. Imagine a room full of living LGBTQIA+ Perth history.
On Saturday 26th April the project is having a launch in Hyde Park where popular Craft in the Park events have been taking place in recent months.
The project has also launched an online fundraiser, and they’re also looking for talented people to join their project team.
When it comes to hobbies Chuckie confesses to being a serial hobbyist.
“I get excited about a hobby. I learn the hobby, and I move on to the next one.” they share.
You can follow the Perth Pride Shed on Facebook and Instagram, contribute to their fundraiser, or head down to the launch event on Saturday 26th April at 12pm in Hyde Park.
